​Meet the Trailblazers: 5 Rising Winemakers Shaping B.C.’s Wine Future​

The B.C. wine industry has matured to a level where having some locally grown trophy bottles—Oculus, an aged riesling from Tantalus, an older Brut Reserve from Blue Mountain—is a key part of a well-chosen cellar. The common thread (other than excellence in winemaking) is that they’ve all been around for several decades. Which got us to wondering: who will be the icons 20 years from now? We dug deep on the new(ish) crop of winemakers and came up with five that we feel will be setting the gold standard well into the future.

1. The Free Spirit

Kaylee Barss | Red Barn at Jagged Rock

The CV Checkmate.

The Future Red Barn is far and away the most under-the-radar of Anthony von Mandl’s lineup of Okanagan wineries, but that has enabled Barss to have some serious fun experimenting with varietals (like barbera and nebbiolo) and techniques (she loves her concrete eggs for aging) that might not fly at the more established names in the portfolio. Expect the winery’s profile to rise year after year, so it’s probably a good time to get on their list (the “Wine League”).

2. The Specialist

Ben Bryant | 1 Mill Road

The CV Whoa. Chief winemaker at Pernod Ricard Australia; VP of Marc Anthony Group.

The Future We don’t know how Bryant and partner Katie Truscott convinced David and Cynthia Enns (of Laughing Stock fame) to sell 1 Mill Road, their nascent passion project on the Naramata Bench. But just two years in, they’ve managed to elevate the already stellar pinots to the very top of the quality pyramid and introduce a chardonnay that likewise has become immediately sought after for its chablis-esque restraint and ageability. This feels like a Nvidia in 2019 sort of can’t-miss opportunity.

3. The Low Interventionist

Jordan Kubek | Pamplemousse Jus

The CV Okanagan Crush Pad, Lightning Rock.

The Future Under Kubek’s deft winemaking, Lightning Rock went from newbie to bubbles all-star in an amazingly short period of time. Now she, her viticulturist husband Tyler Knight and partner James Langford Smith are hoping to do the same to low-intervention wine with Pamplemousse Jus. So far, the recipe—very hands on, an open approach to all varietals and a solid dose of experimentation backed by practical experience—has them on their way to being the one natty wine every somm wants on their list.

4. The Modernist

Alison Moyes | Solvero

The CV Osoyoos Larose, Stoneboat, Liquidity.

The Future Ontario native Moyes came to winemaking through being a sommelier, and the wines she makes from Solvero’s rugged Garnet Valley property show someone who knows how to balance an individualistic approach to winemaking with an end result that consumers can immediately fall in love with. Her pinot uses just enough oak (1/3) to offer the young vines some support, but she ferments to a low alcohol level (12.2 percent) to keep focus and freshness front and centre.

5. The Dream Team

Rajen Toor and Brianna McKeage | Ursa Major (and now Bella)

The CV Desert Hills.

The Future When Jay Drysdale and Wendy Rose announced they were selling their beloved (like, seriously beloved) Bella, the hearts of local wine lovers sank. But they were immediately buoyed again by news that the purchasers would be Toor and McKeage. Toor made a very bold name for himself with his natty label, Ursa Major, which went from side hustle to one of the bedrock wines in the natural wine scene. Now he and McKeage see enough synergy between the two labels to scale up and keep quality high, all while being a viable enterprise given the vagaries of grape growing in our northern climate.

Marble Marvels

A luxe wine country escape with the comforts of home.

We’re endlessly looking for hotels that feature black marble waterfall edges in their full kitchens, and we’ve been mostly left wanting. Which is why the new FieldGlass rentals at Predator Ridge are such a design godsend: not only do they sport the just-mentioned kitted-out full kitchens, they also have an overarching sense of modernity that makes you think you’re staying in your stylish pal’s getaway and not a hotel… but you can still walk to the golf course and you’re in close proximity to the best of the north half of wine country. Available in three- to five-bedroom layouts. predatorridge.com/resort